Plant Profile: Winterberry

Posted in Gardens and Collections on January 15 2009, by Sonia Uyterhoeven

The Botanical Garden’s living collections is among the greatest in the world and contains more than 1 million plants. Jon Peter, Plant Records Manager, periodically shines the spotlight on a particular species that can be found within our 250 acres.

Botanical Name: Ilex verticillata

Common Name(s): Winterberry

Family Name: Aquifoliaceae (Holly family)

Native Range: USA—Maine to Florida, west to Minnesota and Texas
Canada—Newfoundland to Ontario

USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 through 9

Location(s) within NYBG: Native Plant Garden, Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, Home Gardening Center

Site Requirements: Sun to partial shade; well-drained, moist, organic soil; can tolerate extended periods of flooding

Interesting Note: This native species is one of a small number of hollies that are deciduous, losing their leaves in the autumn to reveal the orange to red berries that persist into winter. The berries become an important food source for birds when other sources diminish. Like all hollies, this species is dioecious, meaning it has separate male and female plants and both need to be present for pollination of flowers and subsequent production of fruit.

In a previous video entry, The Garden’s own Sonia Uyterhoeven talked about winterberry and other types of plants that provide beauty and food for wildlife.

Editor’s note: Though winter is not even a month old, birds have already eaten all the fruit from the Garden’s winterberry shrubs.